|
- News Release
- October 24, 2000
Conference to Focus on Bringing High Speed Rail to Southeast
Raleigh -- In partnership with the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and the Virginia High Speed Rail Development Committee, the North Carolina Department of Transportation will sponsor the first ever Southeast High Speed Rail Conference and EXPO November 8-10.
The three-day conference at the Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond will provide a forum to discuss the benefits and challenges associated with developing high speed rail in the Southeast.
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia have joined together to form a coalition to plan, develop and implement the Southeast High Speed Rail corridor. Governors from each state have pledged to work with their congressional delegation to strengthen the federal investment in the Southeast High Speed Rail corridor - one of five original federally designated corridors in the country.
State transportation officials say the conference was developed to attract business and economic development leaders, technical transportation experts, civic leaders and government representatives. Conference sessions will address:
- · local and regional economic development possibilities spurred by high speed rail service
- · challenges of freight and passenger trains using same tracks
- · safety concerns and possible solutions
- · high speed trains as a safe and efficient alternative to highway and short distance commercial air travel
- · high speed rail's potential for generating new revenue, creating jobs and its impact on the environment
- The EXPO will showcase new rail technology. Additionally, actual rail equipment will be on display at the Science Museum of Virginia.
- Other public and private sponsors for the conference include: Amtrak, Commonwealth of Virginia, Science Museum of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University and Transportation Departments from South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.
- Contact: David Foster at 919.733.7245 x266
|
|
|
